#spaceroadtrip

Extract from One Small Step, Chapter 27, Word Count: 980

“Can I … do you mind if I tell you a secret?” Isra says and her voice is quiet in the stillness of the moment, little more than a whisper and yet heavier than anything she’s ever spoken before. She doesn’t know what she’ll do if Cassie leaves now.

The other woman tilts her head and turns slightly until she’s facing Isra more properly, tucking her hearing aid back in her ear as she does so. “That depends. What kind of secret is it? Is it the sort you’d get in trouble for because then I’d maybe rather you didn’t tell me?” Strange shadows dance over her russet-brown face as the over-head lights flicker, sharpening the slope of her cheekbones and highlighting the shape of her jaw.

“No. It’s not like that. This … it’s a serious thing, right? And now I don’t know why I asked because I can’t even get the right words out anymore. Why is this stupid stuff so hard?”

“It’s hard as you make it. If it helps, I can take this thing out again and only listen with my bad ear. Then you can have plausibly deniability about anything you said in case it’s embarrassing later.”

“It’s embarrassing now.” Isra buries her head in her hands and resurfaces to see Cassie stifling a giggle, hand clapped over her mouth to muffle the noise. “Oh, fine. Go ahead and laugh. I know I’m doing this terribly so you might as well laugh now because you’ll only be laughing later. Right. Here goes. I like you. Properly. More than just friend-like. You know, the kind that starts with a crush and might end up as more if given the chance.”

“Oh.”

“What? Is that it? Oh, please kill me now. Just chuck me out the nearest airlock and have done with it because I can never talk to you ever again without combusting from sheer embarrassment. Please say something or leave or just do something to stop me from talking. Please.”

Instead of saying anything more, Cassie leans forward and tangles their fingers together, clutching tightly to Isra’s right hand with her left one. She squeezes their hands together and leans down to press a feather-light kiss to the back of Isra’s hand, lips softer than velvet and breath warm as she pulls back. Time slows down. The kiss lasts only seconds and yet, Isra would swear to anyone who asked that a whole universe was born and died in the time that it took. It was only on her hand. Imagine what it would feel like on her lips.

“Oh my god!” Isra squeals, cheeks heating up as her eyes flick between Cassie’s smiling face and their joined hands. “Oh my god! Do you like me back? Am I actually seducing you somehow? What is going on here?”

Eyes glittering with mirth, Cassie slides a touch closer to Isra. “In a way, the answer to at least two of your questions is yes. I’m not sure this is the usual method of seduction but it’s working somehow. I do like you. Actually, I thought you and Finn were a thing for ages but then you never seemed to do anything really relationship-y together and I never saw either of you flirting with anyone either so I was really confused. I still am.”

“You thought Finn and I were a thing? No way. Never happening. I mean, I tick some of the right boxes because I’m his friend and he does actually know me properly but I’m not his type. If you never saw me flirting, it’s probably because I’m terrible at it. I know that Charlie from the reserve team was flirting with me and trying to get me to join him in bed but I’m not really into all that stuff. I’m ace, so.”

“But you are …”

“Attracted to women? So much so that I’m ready to be swallowed up by a blackhole just to get out of finishing this conversation because I’m aware of the hole I’m digging myself into.”

“Don’t worry about it. Honest. That’s the only thing I care about. I know we’re only at the very beginning of our relationship but I just wanna say that if you never want to do anything sexual, then that’s fine. It’s your choice and I … I don’t want you doing things you’re not comfortable with just because you think it’s something I want or need. It’s not something I need. If it makes you unhappy or uncomfortable, then I don’t need it.”

Isra blinks rapidly as the rush of words flows into her. “I … thank you. I can’t even say how nice that is to hear.” Her mouth twists into a sly grin and she taps their joined hands against her thigh. “Did you just say that we’re in a relationship? Does that mean I get to call you my girlfriend from now on?”

“It does. Can … can I kiss you, Isra?”

“Of course, you can!”

The words barely escape her lips before Cassie is leaning forwards and her lips are pressing into Isra’s, soft and warm in all the right places, tasting of strawberry lip balm and the aftertaste of that sweet mango tea that Cassie loves so much. Isra frees her hand so she can wind both arms around Cassie’s neck. Cassie’s hands find Isra’s waist. They cling to each other even as they pull out of the kiss, panting and breathless, foreheads resting against each other as they drink in each other’s presence. It’s perfect. Well, it’s messy and a little unskilled but perfect all the same because it’s their first kiss. This moment belongs to them.

“Well,” Isra manages to get out, “that was fun. Want to go again?”

Cassie grins wickedly and her breath tickles Isra’s cheek as she whispers, “yes.”